The Goulds revel in the mud, with Phil leading the family home at Dovedale

Phil Gould catches his breath at the end of the Dovedale Dash. Picture submitted

The race was delayed for an hour as runners attempted to drive through boggy conditions into the car park, with athletes finding their warm-ups mixed with the odd pushing of vehicles out of the mud.

Five Leamington C&AC runners took part in the 4¾- mile event which sees runners racing down the steep slope of Thorpe Cloud in Derbyshire to cross the river at the famous stepping stones.

While some opted to balance across the stones, most runners chose the wetter option and ran through the water.

Phil Gould was first home for the club in 12th place in a time of 30min 58sec.

The race played to Gould’s strengths, being particularly muddy with a one mile climb back up Thorpe Cloud to the finish.

Gould’s son James, who just scraped the over-ten age restriction by a month, showed amazing resolve by finishing only 12 minutes behind his dad in a time of 42:40.

Mel Gould, who at 12 is already a seasoned cross-country runner, showed her usual strength to finish in a time of 46:25, with her mum, Laura, settling for being the last of the Gould family in a time of 51:13.

Clubmate Simon Perkin, a familiar face at this event, finished 167th in 38:56.

The race was won by Alasdair Campbell (Buxton AC) in 28:25, while under-18 Elsbeth Grant from Matlock AC was the first female home in 32:13.

Meanwhile, Spa Striders’ Pete Teevan completed the New York Marathon in a personal best of 3:20:26.

His time was all the more impressive as it was achieved on limited focused training as he took up the place at short notice.

Leamington C&AC’s Chris Hitchman came home in 3:30:25.

Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya won the men’s race in 2:10:53, with Shalane Flanagan (2:26:53) providing a home victory in the ladies’ race.

At the Robin Hood Off Road Duathlon, Striders’ Tim Beresford completed the 5k run, 20k bike and 3.4k run in 1:33:00, finishing fourth overall and first in the 35-39 age category.

Peter Schofield completed the same event in 2:27:17.

The second fixture in the 2017/18 Gloucester League XC was held at a new venue at Charlton Park, Malmesbury and hosted by Chippenham Harriers.

Heavy overnight rain resulted in extremely wet and muddy conditions on what was a proper hilly grassland-based cross-country course.

Leamington C&AC’s Paul Andrew ran a fine race, finishing eighth overall in a time of 36min 40sec.

Marc Curtis (41:57), Steve Howes (42:54), Steve Roberts (48:52), Tony Foster (50:37) and Alex Montgomery (52:20) completed Leamington’s senior and veteran male contingent.

Jenny Jeeves was 21st overall in the ladies’ race in 30:14, with club newcomer Caroline Coward finishing in 33:26.

Graham Roberts ran the MV65 race which was run alongside the ladies’ race, clocking 36:31.

A small contingent of Kenilworth Runners, youths and seniors enjoyed the difficult conditions, with the trio of Tom Dable, Stef Shillington and Colin Bricher finishing first V65 team. The under-17 boys finished fifth team.

Kenilworth Runners finishers: Under-13 girls: 38 ,Florence Lunn (19;35). Under-15 boys: 34, Jacob Watson (20:07). Under-17 and under-20 boys: 18, Felix Lunn (26;36); 22, Oliver Flippance (27:25); 24, Oliver Lunn (28:41). Under-20 men: 25, Ryan Baker (28:59).

Under-20 ladies, senior/vet ladies and v65+ men: 82, Bella Doxey (34:36); 154, Tom Dable (40:31); 157, Stef Shillington (40:48); 175, Pauline Dable (46:27); 176, Helen Baker (47:29); 179 Colin Bricher (48:37).

Men: 68, Wayne Briggs (41:13); 99, Anthony Young (43:36); 101, Roger Homes (43:46); 135, Mick Williams (46:43); 138, Stewart Underhill (46:58).

Four Kenilworth Runners took part in the first of the 2017/18 Centurion Grand Prix five-mile trail runs around the Babbs Mill Lake in Chelmsley Wood.

Martin Dorrill and Debbie Streets finished together in 91st and 92nd positions in 40:48 and 40:49, followed by Samantha Moffat (118th in 44:43) and Tom Dable (125th in 46:02).

The race was won by Adrian Lloyd-Davies of Bridgnorth AC in 26:19 and there were 149 runners.

Kenilworth Runners’ Laura Pettifer produced another fine run to win the ladies’ race in the NICE Lets Move It 10k in Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham on Sunday.

Pettifer’s time of 40min 32sec was just five seconds outside her PB. Dave Pettifer finished 35th in 45:14.

The race was won by Danny Warren of Badgers in 34:36 and there were 175 finishers.

Kenilworth Runners had their best-ever season in the Warwickshire Road Race League, receiving 18 trophies at the league’s AGM at the Coventry Godiva clubhouse.

In her first season as ladies’ captain, Laura Pettifer collected the most trophies, winning the ladies’ overall league gold medal, the LV35 gold, a trophy for the only lady to compete in all 11 races and the senior ladies’ winning team trophy.

Kenilworth’s men won both the senior team and the masters men’s team trophies.

There were also category golds for Bella Doxey (U-20 ladies), Esther Illman (senior ladies), Gail Audhali (FV55) and Dave Pettifer (MV65), with silvers for Steve Marr (overall league and MV35), Pauline Dable (FV65), Ben Taylor (senior men) and Stanley Doxey (U-20 men).

Holly Glover (U-20 ladies), Ryan Baker (U-20 men) and Andrew Siggers (MV35) claimed bronze medals.